UEFA is now selling category 1 tickets (145 euros) for a discounted 25 euros to Ukraine-NI and Russia-Slovakia. Only a matter of time till Romania and Albania are on that list too. Hungary-Austria was in that group as well and a handful of other games could be heading in that direction. People still won't want to see shit teams play each other, even in a big tournament.
I'm a purist so I hated moving from 16 to 24 to begin with.. I'm merely saying if UEFA is going forward with this farce then they might as well make it a equally divisible number like 32. A perfect tournament number and its served the WC well.. Otherwise go back to the original format
I disagree; I actually think the 24-team format is doing well so far. It isn't like any team has had a "lol, so out of your league" performance like Haiti in the Copa yet, and even the smaller teams like Iceland and the Czech Republic are well-organized in defence and have a bit of potency on the break. I like the change thus far.
you are including them in the same group as Iceland .. Czch qualified to every single euro since they became an independent nation and almost won the cup in 96 if it was for some german magic in the final. (and when they were Czechoslovakia and won the dam thing) its laughable to say they are a small nation
not just that but even when they lose at the Euros they usually barely lose, they are a tough team to beat. They also contributed to our disgrace elimination back in Euro 04 by beating Germany 2-1 and if they hadn't lost to Greece in extra time in the semis they could have had the potential to win that Euro. Also as Czechoslovakia they were 2 times runners-up at the WC. I would say in the last 50-60 years they have been good at the Euros but terrible at the WC, which they have only qualified once in the last 26 years.
When 8% of your country's population are in France BIRKIR BJARNASON!1-1#EMÍsland pic.twitter.com/Ugbg3XCees— Síminn (@siminn) June 14, 2016
Cristiano Ronaldo hits out at ‘small’ Iceland after Portugal are held “Iceland didn’t try anything,” whined the Portuguese captain. “They were just defend, defend, defend and playing on the counterattack. It was a lucky night for them. We should have three points but we are OK. I thought they’d won the Euros the way they celebrated at the end. It was unbelievable. When they don’t try to play and just defend, defend, defend, this in my opinion shows a small mentality and they are not going to do anything in the competition.” They have already accomplished more than expected and were at one with their fans after the final whistle while Ronaldo raged at the referee." https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/14/portugal-iceland-euro-2016-match-report What a douchebag! I can't believe how could these be the words of the second best player in recent 10 years... Incredible footbal skills, but so deficient in more important human areas...
And once again he failed to really show up when Portugal really needed him. It's all well and good playing with Kroos, Modric, Bale and Benzema, but when he doesn't have world class team mates to help him does he step up and deliver? Very rarely.
I really really hate his ass.... He's declining and Real Madrid are stuck with his ass despite not being their best player last season.. The guy gets worse and worse every season now with his attitude
I don't know, he was still pretty epic last season. Whatever decline he's had isn't significant enough to diminish how good a player he is. With that said, I absolutely love his tears they're always so delicious.
Croatia coach Ante Cacic: "If we beat the Czech Republic, I'm taking the players and we're going to get shitfaced" http://www.24sata.hr/sport/cacic-ak...grace-da-se-napijemo-478843?utm_medium=Status
In the 2002 WC China ( with a population of 1.3bn) played Costa Rica (with a population of 4 mn). That is aaprx 325 times as populous at their opponents. Portugal, by contrast were only 31 times as populous as their opponents.
He shouldn't have said any of this, but I can understand where he is coming from. In the qualifiers, Iceland played to win against Holland and Czech. Their attitude to the game was a lot more adventurous and positive than it was yesterday. When a team can play to win and yet chooses not to take risks and play it safe, people are likely to get disappointed.
Anyone hear Shaqiri delusional comments before the game? Real butthurt about not being captain and "threatens" to try to be one for Kosovo if offered...